French Baguettes

Variation of All Recipes.com French Baguette recipe.  Makes 2 12-inch loaves.

1 cup warm water
1 tablespoon yeast
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 cups flour

Combine warm water, yeast and sugar.  Let stand 5 minutes.  

Stir in salt and add flour little by little until dough is firm enough to knead.  Knead for 5-10 minutes, adding flour as necessary - goal is for a soft dough.  Cover, leave in a warm place and let rise until doubled. (1 hour)

Lightly grease a cookie sheet.  Punch down the dough, divide into two portions.  Roll the dough into an oblong, then roll until a log shape.  Pinch the ends together to seal it.  Make a slits diagonally across the loaf with a knife.  Repeat with the second portion of dough.  Cover the loaves and allow to rise for about a half hour. Preheat oven to 375.  Bake for about 20 minutes or until loaves are golden brown.  

Chicken Kurma

2.5 lbs chicken thighs, chopped in small pieces
2 tablespoons yogurt
1 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon pure red chili powder
1 teaspoon garam masala
1/2 teaspoon black pepper (optional)
2 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon oil
4 cardamom pods
4 cloves
2 bay leaves
1 small piece cinnamon stick
1 star anise seed
2 onions, finely chopped
4 roma tomatoes, pureed
2 green chiles, sliced lengthwise
1/2" piece ginger
4 cloves garlic
1/4 cup grated coconut
1 tablespoon poppy seeds
2 tablespoons cashews (raw)
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
1/4 to 1/2 cup coconut milk (optional)
cilantro

Combine: chicken, turmeric, chili, garam masala, black pepper, salt and yogurt in bowl.  Set aside to marinate.


Heat oil in a large pot or pressure cooker.  Splutter the whole spices (cloves, cardamom, bay leaves, cinnamon stick, star anise) for about 30 seconds, then add onions and green chiles. Saute until well cooked (golden brown in color).  Meanwhile, make a puree of the ginger and garlic, and add to onion mixture and saute for a couple minutes.  Add tomato puree and saute until well cooked and liquid evaporates.

Add to this the marinated chicken, cover and simmer until chicken is almost done. (If pressure cooking, 2 to 3 whistles.) 

Meanwhile, soak the cashews and poppy seeds in a little water.  Then combine with coconut and fennel seeds and puree.  When chicken is done, stir this into chicken mixture and cook for another 5 minutes.  Last, stir in coconut milk, bring to a boil, switch off heat and stir in cilantro. 

Serve with: rice, idli, parotta...

Chicken Biryani

Chicken biryani for 8 people. 

4 cups of basmati rice
2.5 lbs chicken quarters, drumsticks, or thighs, skin removed and cut in 1-2" pieces
1/2 cup yogurt
1 teaspoon turmeric powder
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon fennel powder
1 tablespoon biryani masala (optional)
3 teaspoons salt
6-8 plump garlic cloves, peeled
1" piece of ginger, peeled
3 serrano chiles, sliced lengthwise (or 6-8 thai green chiles)
4 tablespoons of butter (1/2 stick)
1 tablespoon of oil
2 bay leaves
5 cardamom, crushed
5 cloves
1 cinnamon stick
1 star anise
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
2 medium onions, sliced lengthwise
1 tomato, rough chopped
2/3 cup mint leaves, rough chopped
1/2 cup cilantro leaves, rough chopped
5 cups of water
salt

1. Blend together ginger and garlic in a blender/grinder.  You should have about 1/3 cup of ginger/garlic paste.   Mix with yogurt and turmeric, chili, and fennel powders as well as biryani masala and salt. Rub into chicken pieces and marinate.  (Minimum 30 minutes, up to 2 hours.)

2.  Heat oil in a large pot.  Add butter.  When butter is melted add bay leaves, cinnamon, clove, cardamom, star anise, fennel seed and black peppercorns.  Saute until fragrant.  Add onions and saute until browned.  Add rough chopped tomatoes and saute until softened. Add chicken pieces along with marinade, and simmer for 7-10 minutes.  Switch off heat and stir in mint and cilantro leaves.

3.  RICE COOKER
     Place rice in the cooker along with chicken mixture and 5 cups of water and salt, to taste.  Stir well.  Close lid and cook on "white rice" setting until done.  When it is done cooking, immediately remove from rice cooker and spread gently in a rectangle, shallow dish (i.e. 9x13" tray)
     PRESSURE COOKER
     Combine rice and chicken mixture in a pressure cooker along with along with 4 (FOUR) cups of water and salt. Fit the lid onto the cooker, place weight on and reduce heat to low to medium low setting.  When the whistle sounds one time, immediately switch off heat and allow the cooker to sit until pressure naturally releases.  When it is completely released, open lid and gently spread the biryani into a rectangle, shallow dish. 

Serve with: raita, boiled egg and apalam
                   meat curry
                   eggplant gravy 
                 

Lasagna

1 lb hot Italian sausage (ground)
1/2 lb ground beef
2 tablespoons oil
1 onion, rough chopped
1 carrot, rough chopped
6 large cloves of garlic, crushed
1- 28 oz can of whole peeled tomatoes
1- 15 oz can of tomato sauce
1/2 cup of water
2 teaspoons italian seasoning
1 teaspoon each of basil, oregano, parsley (any combination)
pinch of red chili flakes
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
9 lasagna noodles, uncooked
1 - 15 oz container ricotta cheese
1/4 cup parmesan
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1 egg
3 cups mozarella cheese





1.  Bring a pot of water to boil.  Drop in lasagna noodles and cook for about 7-10 minutes, until almost cooked.

2.  In a saute pan, brown the ground beef and sausage.  Drain excess fat.

3.  In a pot heat oil, then add chopped onions, carrot and garlic.  Saute until carrots are soft.  Add canned tomatoes and tomato sauce along with seasonings.  Simmer for 10 minutes, remove from heat and allow to cool.  Blend the mixture in thoroughly in a blender. Return to pot and stir in ground beef and sausage. 

4.  Stir together ricotta, parmesan, egg, seasonings.

5.  In a 9x13 pan ladle some of the sauce.  Lay 3 noodles side by side.  Spoon half of ricotta mixture over the noodles.  Sprinkle with some mozzarella cheese.  Ladle sauce.  Continue with noodles, remaining ricotta, mozzarella and sauce.  Lay last 3 noodles across, ladle sauce, and sprinkle with remaining ricotta.

6.  Bake at 400, covered for about 30 minutes.  Uncover and bake for 5 minutes or until cheese is bubbly and lightly browned.

Egg Curry

5 hard boiled eggs
1 onion, chopped
1 green chile
1 tablespoon ginger-garlic paste
1 or 2 tomatoes, chopped
3 cardamom pods, 1 star anise, 3 cloves, 1/2" piece cinnamon stick, 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
1 tablespoon coriander powder
1/2 teaspoon cumin powder
1/2 teaspoon garam masala
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons coconut (grated)
1 or 2 tablespoons cashews
1/4 cup chopped cilantro

Heat a tablespoon oil in a saute pan.  Add onions and green chile and saute until lightly browned.  Add ginger garlic paste, saute for a minute.  Add tomatoes and saute until they are pulpy.  Remove from heat.  When it cools a bit, blend until smooth.

In a large pot or saute pan, heat a tablespoon of oil.  Add mustard seeds, cardamom (crushed), cloves, cinnamon and star anise.  When mustard seeds "pop" add the blended tomato-onion mixture and saute.  Add coriander powder, cumin powder, garam masala, chili powder and salt.  Allow to simmer.

Blend together the coconut and cashews with a little water until fairly smooth then stir into the curry.  Add water (start with a half cup) to desired consistency.  Simmer for a good 7-10 minutes then add the boiled eggs and simmer for another 7 minutes.  Stir in cilantro.

Beef Kurma

Adapted from Julie Sahni's recipe in the "Savoring India" cookbook.  Delicious with parotta!  Try with chicken or mutton instead of beef. 
1 tablespoon poppy seeds
3 tablespoons coriander seeds
1 tablespoon fennel seeds
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
oil
2.5 pounds beef, cubed and room temperature
6 red chiles (whole, dried) -- use less if less spice is required!
1 cinnamon stick
6 cardamom pods, split open
6 cloves
1 star anise
2 medium oninos, finely chopped
3 tablespoons ginger garlic paste
1/2 to 3/4 can coconut milk
water
salt

First, dry roast the coriander, poppy and fennel seeds over medium high heat.  Once they are toasted, remove from heat, let them cool then grind them into a fine powder.

Heat a couple tablespoons of oil in a pressure cooker.  Stir fry the beef in the pot until it is browned but not cooked through.  Remove from cooker. 

Add a little more oil to the cooker.  When it is hot add whole spices: chiles, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, star anise.  Stir fry for a minute or so then add chopped onion.  Cook the onion until it is browned (a good 7-10 minutes).  Add ginger garlic paste, stir fry for about a minute.  Add roasted and ground spices along with turmeric powder.  Add 1-2 cups water (according to how thick you want the gravy) along with coconut milk and salt (a good couple teaspoons).  Put the lid on the pressure cooker.  Cook for about 20 minutes (or 2-3 whistles), then remove from heat and let the pressure naturally release.  

Check seasonings, garnish with cilantro.  Serve with parotta, rice or chapati. 

Pepper Chicken (Dry)

A yummy dish, great with rice, chapati, dosa . . . This dish does not have any gravy but will be slightly "dry".

Pepper Chicken


6-8 skinless, bone-in chicken thighs
1 head of garlic
1" piece of ginger
1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 tablespoon fennel seeds
1 tablespoon black peppercorns
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon coriander seeds
2-3 teaspoons red chili powder
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
salt
1 large onion, finely chopped (about 1 3/4 cups)
1 large tomato, finely chopped (about 1 1/3 cups)
1/2 onion, sliced (1 cup loosely packed)
1 stem curry leaves
3 red chiles (whole)
black pepper
1/4 cup chopped cilantro

Chop chicken into bite size pieces (approx 1/2-1" pieces).  Set aside.

Remove skin from 1 head of garlic and grind together with the ginger piece with a little water until it comes to a smooth paste.  From the paste, take out one tablespoon and mix with chicken pieces along with lemon juice.
Grind together the fennel, cumin, coriander, peppercorns, chil pdr, turmeric and salt.  Rub into chicken until chicken is well coated.  Allow to marinate for at least a 1/2 hour.

Meanwhile, in a pot heat 2 tablespoons oil.  When hot add chopped onion.  Saute until onion is translucent then add remaining ginger-garlic paste and stir fry for a minute.  Add chopped tomatoes and saute until tomato is very soft and pulpy.  (This will take a good 7-10 minutes.)  Add marinated chicken to this, stir well then over medium heat allow the chicken to cook through.  (15-20 minutes)   Do not add water, as the chicken cooks, water will come out.  If any liquid remains once the chicken is cooked through, increase the heat and stir fry for a few minutes or until water is evaporated.

While the chicken is cooking, heat 1 tablespoon oil in a small frying pan.  To this add the curry leaves, red chiles and sliced onions.  Cook until onions are soft.  Once chicken is cooked, stir the sliced onion mixture into the chicken and garnish with freshly ground black pepper (about 1 teaspoon) and cilantro leaves.